The mom or dad coached teams can beat half the teams with the paid coaches and then the paid coaches blame the kids.

That youth soccer coaches realize that encouraging multi-sport athletes - particularly at all ages before high school - results in better athletes and kids overall. And - here's a news flash - it makes them better soccer players in the end.

The pressure/guilt trips that coaches in this area put on young kids to "do" soccer all year round - ridiculous "training sessions" 3 days a week, indoor training etc. - with the obvious threat of losing playing time or getting in coach's doghouse. Makes it extremely difficult for kids to play other sports during the offseason. They end up burned out on soccer by middle school without much background in anything else.

Seems like NOT prohibiting headers might be the unpopular opinion.

Anonymous wrote:What a sad sorry thread. I opted to view it just to see if it went the way I thought and sure enough it did. What a mess

Lol. Sorry to disappoint you. What kind of happy or interesting discussion did you expect to find in a thread about unpopular opinions in youth soccer?

Way to much stupid expensive travel. Although that is a popular, not an unpopular opinion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prohibit headers. Too many kids these days with multiple concussions and high school kids not being able to function some days because of migraines

Yes! They’re so dangerous

and 90% of the time they give up possession of the ball.

What a sad sorry thread. I opted to view it just to see if it went the way I thought and sure enough it did. What a mess

Anonymous wrote:Prohibit headers. Too many kids these days with multiple concussions and high school kids not being able to function some days because of migraines

Yes! They’re so dangerous

Anonymous wrote:All players play at least 50% of the game before U-14/15, with exceptions for tournaments.

Agree

All players play at least 50% of the game before U-14/15, with exceptions for tournaments.

Don't go to 11v11 until U15.

Anonymous wrote:Prohibit headers. Too many kids these days with multiple concussions and high school kids not being able to function some days because of migraines

No punting until U13.

Prohibit headers. Too many kids these days with multiple concussions and high school kids not being able to function some days because of migraines

My unpopular opinion is that the opinion of a parent who played D1 soccer a lifetime ago does not make their opinion on the current state of youth soccer any more valuable than anyone else's.

My unpopular opinion is that refs should give yellow (and red) cards much more liberally starting at U-littles for hard fouls and "tactical" fouls. I've seen way too many slide tackles from behind and wild elbows while fighting for the ball that very seldom get a yellow card. I think more cards would (1) protect and encourage skillful play and (2) teach the offenders to play clean at an early age. What are some of your unpopular opinions?